Baseball holds fall placement scrimmages

Husky baseball wrapped up their fall season against College of the Canyons on Thursday. The game lasted a grueling 14 innings.

During the fall season no scores are displayed on the scoreboard, despite head coach James Hines saying the point of the games are still to “create a competitive atmosphere.” Although these games don’t count the way they will in the spring, they still affect how players fit into the spring program.

Hines said the focus of the fall season is to evaluate players “to figure out what guys can do.” It gives the teams the freedom to try players out in different positions, lineup order or stages of the game.

College of the Canyons had a strong start, scoring six runs in the first two innings. Two missed throws, one at home plate and one at first base set the defensive tone for the first two innings.

“First two pitchers didn’t do their job getting people out,” Hines said.

At the bottom of the third inning, an interference call was made against Jarrard for stepping into the throwing path of the catcher after swinging, interrupting a throw down to second.“It was the right call, I took a big swing,” Jarrard said.

By the fourth inning the Huskies got in the swing of things. “It’s a good way to learn how not to quit,” Matthew Shults said. “We drive until it’s over and many of the games have been 14 innings,”Jarrard said.

Shults said, “I’m not a huge guy. I have to stay within myself and see where I fit into the team. Today, I tried to bunt.”

A strong sense of community is present in Shults, a transfer from Pasadena City College, who said, “The guys all like to hang out. It’s more than just a class like at other schools I’ve played for.”

At the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore Damian Lomeli starts with an offensive hit streak, hitting the ball out to left field. Lomeli scores the first run, after College of the Canyons shortstop dove and missed sophomore Gabrile Figueror’s hit.

Players were being switched constantly throughout the game on both teams. Jarrard spent time both at first baseman and as pitcher during the game. He had a successful eighth inning on the mount. College of the Canyons had no men on base all inning.

Sophomore outfielder Carlos Diego Sanchez said, “We try and do too much. As a team we need to grow and mature and stay within ourselves. That being consistent in how we believe in ourselves will make us a better team,” Sanchez said. “We gotta love each other. That doesn’t mean we have to like each other, but on the field we have to love each other.”

“I’ve seen greatness. All of them have had spurts of greatness. They have to mature so they can move up from the amateur level,” Hines said.

The spring season will see some new faces.

Hines said, “It will add more depth to our team so we can redshirt some players and not have them waste a season.”

The spring season begins Jan. 26 at College of the Desert. The Huskies’ first home game will be against Citrus College on Feb. 8.

CN/ John MolinaIT’S A HIT—Elias Maldonado (36) hits grounder toward the outfield and makes it to first base against College of the Canyons.